Notefile And The Future Of Mac Notes

What do Mac, iPhone, and iPad users really need from Apple’s Notes app? Well, free is good. So is iCloud sync. Features would be nice but Notes has always been slim on features, but that’s about to change with OS X El Capitan.

If you need a little more than what Apple bothers to put into Notes, and you want a few more options and are willing to pay a bit more, then check out Notefile, a more fully featured notes app which runs on Mac, iPhone, and iPad, and syncs nicely to each device using iCloud or a proprietary sync platform.

One Click Notes

Notes applications for Mac, iPhone and iPad are probably a dime a dozen. Literally. I can find at least a dozen free notes apps for each device, though all of them are minimalist in nature.

Notefile isn’t free but it’s close to free and has the same low price tag for Mac as it does for the iPhone (one app for both iPhone and iPad).

What most of us need with a note taking app is quick access. Notefile can be opened on the Mac from either the Menubar or the Dock. Or, you can open the app on your Mac with a hotkey combo. Notes are also available for searching using Spotlight, and works fine with Apple’s built-in share options.

The key to success, though, is getting to Notefile and having notes available on all of Apple’s devices.

Another neat feature not found in most Mac notes apps is the option to calculate math right inside the app (no more looking around for Calculator).

The iPhone and iPad version has a similar look and feel, but a few more useful options, including support for TextExpander for iOS.

As notes apps go, Notefile is simple, elegant works well, and, surprisingly, syncs notes well using iCloud (which is notorious for being a problematic place to put files). I’d prefer a Dropbox option. There’s also the Notefile Cloud Sync from the developer’s website which has worked when iCloud goes wonky (which seems to be too often).

Otherwise Notefile is nicely done, very Mac-like (and iPhone-like), works well and worth the price of a Starbucks latte.

You would be surprised at how many notes apps are available for Mac, iPhone, and iPad. An alien life form might think we’re a species of forgetful writers. Notes in OS X El Capitan will come with more stylistic options which will compete with many of the minimalistic notes apps we’ve enjoyed for years.

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About Natalia Nowak

My husband, Nathan, and I have used Macs for nearly 25 years. We're teachers at a private school in Chicago, IL. I'm also the school's resident Mac system administrator, PC troubleshooter, and a diehard Mac diva and iPhone hacker. Read more of my articles here.